Who’s who in the America’s Cup prep

When San Francisco officials decided to try to get rights to the America’s Cup, one of the first people they called was Kyri McClellan.

A veteran project manager in the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development, McClellan was given simple instructions to a major task: Coordinate the city’s bid for the 2013 America’s Cup.

She got the assignment right after returning from maternity leave, when she had the second of her two children.

“I said, ‘Kyri, I have a project for you,’” recalled Michael Cohen, her boss at the time. He said he gave her the mammoth job because, “bottom line, Kyri is incredibly focused. She’s extremely gracious and graceful under pressure. She has that stick-to-itiveness to move things forward.”

It took a lot of that quality to make sure San Francisco was speaking with one voice — and its various departments moving in the same direction — to contend for sailing’s most prestigious event.

McClellan had already cut her teeth in the mayor’s office by working on several other high-pressure assignments, including helping land the stem cell institute, working on San Francisco’s bid to host the Olympics as well as Treasure Island and Hunters Point redevelopment projects.

As San Francisco begins preparations to host the 34th America’s Cup in 2013, McClellan will be one of the key people to watch.

But she’s not the only one. Other people who hold great influence over how successful the event is include:

Mark Buell

As head of San Francisco America’s Cup Organizing Committee, Buell is being called upon to lead the fundraising effort for the event. Buell and his charges — about 80 people in all — are expected to open doors and especially wallets at corporations and elsewhere to help raise at least $32 million to defray San Francisco’s event costs. They will also help America’s Cup officials line up $270 million in sponsorship money. A retired real estate developer, Buell is well connected himself with a long history supporting major Democratic politicians like Hillary Clinton and Barbara Boxer.

Monique Moyer

As executive director of the San Francisco Port, Moyer heads a team that will be busy compiling data to comply with the California Environmental Quality Act — a critical first step in making sure the event happens on time in 2013.

San Francisco Mayor

As of Jan. 5 it was not clear who will be the next San Francisco mayor. But whoever that person is will be critical to keeping the city’s focus unified while preparing for the America’s Cup. Former Mayor Gavin Newsom, who will depart for his new lieutenant governor post in the statehouse in January, championed the city’s bid.

Larry Ellison

Oracle Corp. CEO Larry Ellison usually gets what Larry Ellison wants. As winner of the last America’s Cup he got to choose to hold the next one on San Francisco Bay. But if the city stumbles, don’t be surprised if he makes threats — veiled or otherwise — that he’ll take the event elsewhere.

America’s Cup Event Authority

This newly minted division in charge of the America’s Cup business dealings is headed by Richard Worth, chairman, and Craig Thompson, CEO. They will be working closely with San Francisco’s America’s Cup Organizing Committee on fundraising and all other critical business deals. Before being hired this year, both Worth and Thompson worked to grow the UEFA Champions League, an annual soccer competition for Europe’s best clubs.

The Bureaucrats

There is a long list of federal, state and local bureaucracies that need to be satisfied before the America’s Cup can proceed. These include: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, California Department of Fish and Game, California Regional Water Quality Control Board, the Bay Conservation and Development Commission and the California State Lands Commission.